


It Couldn't Be You

by everythingisundercontrol



Category: Orange is the New Black
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Internalized Homophobia, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Nichorello, Soulmates, Tattoos, lorna is lowkey an idiot of course, nicky is edgy of course, vauseman - Freeform, we love red so much in this household
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 16:02:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21600913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everythingisundercontrol/pseuds/everythingisundercontrol
Summary: Tattoo AU in which the name of your soulmate appears on your right bicep once THEY fall in love with YOU.so basically nicky falls for Lorna but Lorna isn't prepared.flashbacks are noted at the top of the chapter.
Relationships: Lorna Morello/Nicky Nichols, Maybe more idk yet - Relationship, Piper Chapman/Alex Vause, Tricia Miller/Mercy Valduto
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	1. It Says 'Nicole'

**Author's Note:**

> ayyyy what's up
> 
> found this idea on tumblr a whilllle ago and wrote some of it when i was bored. decided to bring it back bc I'm bored again.
> 
> have fun bc i sure am 
> 
> xoxo  
> jenna :)

A day just like any other. 

Lorna yawned and stretched as the lights flickered on and the voice of CO Bell filled the block. She had slept alright last night, but someone was sobbing again at 3 am. After a few months in prison, she’d gotten used to the new arrivals crying through the night, and nowadays she was able to tune them out almost completely. This time, however, the new inmate had woken Lorna up and she hadn’t been able to fall back asleep until about 30 minutes before the lights turned on. 

Lorna stretched again and moved over to her locker. She retrieved her makeup bag and began to apply her favorite bright red lipstick. 

“Sleep ok?” 

“Oh, alright,” Lorna replied, not even bothering to look over at her roommate, Yoga Jones, “you?”

Yoga shrugged. “It’s prison. I guess I’ll try to meditate later today instead,” she replied, and Lorna heard the clack of Yoga’s shower shoes hitting the floor. Thirty more seconds and she was gone.

Lorna sighed. Yoga Jones was like clockwork. She always stretched before the lights came on, asked Lorna how she’d slept, and then showered. Come to think of it, Lorna supposed that everyone in the prison was a rather regular routine. Bell always woke them up with some inspiration. Down a few bunks, Big Boo continued snoring until a CO was forced to pull her out of bed. A circle of girls crowded around Sister Ingalls, asking for a morning scripture, and Sister almost always obliged. The inmates and COs lived a repeat one day over and over, always the same. Although Lorna was reluctant to admit it, prison could get boring sometimes. 

“Hey, Morello?”

This time she turned to look. Chapman, a new inmate, was standing in front of Lorna’s bunk. Lorna smiled kindly, and Chapman grinned back. 

“Oh, hey, Chapman! Can I help you with something?” Lorna asked, quickly turning back to her makeup. She needed to get a move on or she’d never finish in time for breakfast. Chapman didn’t seem to notice Lorna’s urgency, and instead entered the bunk and sat in Yoga Jones’ chair. 

“So I was wondering,” Piper began, “how you managed to get such pretty hair? The commissary only sells shampoo, and it’s just...absolute shit. My hair feels so...dry? And broken. Deeply broken.” Piper sighed and glanced off out the cloudy window for a moment.

Lorna stopped applying makeup and turned to face the blonde. She inched her chair closer and whispered. “You need to talk to Red. She’ll get you Pantene, but nothing special. If you want something off the menu, you’ll have to do her a favor. But Pantene should do the trick.”

Piper’s face lit up. “Oh my god, really? I  _ love _ Pantene,” she chuckled. 

Lorna smiled and waited for Piper to continue, but she just kept grinning. For a moment Lorna wondered if Piper was high, but then she remembered how naive and innocent the new inmate was. Lorna nodded and said, “alright, well, you just put that order in with Red and she’ll take care of you.” 

Piper stood. She thanked Lorna again and was a foot out the door when she stopped. 

Lorna turned to face Chapman completely. “ _ Anything _ else?” she asked pointedly. 

Piper was staring at Lorna’s shoulder disbelievingly. “Did you get a tattoo?” 

Lorna scoffed. “Now really,” she said turning back to her makeup, “you don’t gotta point out my arm mole like that. I’m not even dolled up yet, you could’ve at least waited until breakfast time to start... _ attacking _ me like this.” 

Still chuckling, Lorna continued to apply her makeup. Piper didn’t move. Lorna sighed. 

“ _ Chapman.  _ Leave please.”

“I’m not kidding. It’s some...word, hang on, lemme read it!”

Piper started moving toward Lorna’s arm, and Lorna pulled away. The lipstick slipped out of Lorna’s hand and hit the locker with a clang. Piper laughed and grabbed Lorna’s arm to keep her from squirming away. 

“Hey! What are you doing?  _ Stop that! _ ”

“It says ‘Nicole’. Huh. Who’s that?” 

Lorna stopped dead. 

_ No.  _

Piper chirped, “hey, maybe that’s your soulmate! That means she fell in love with you already! Ooh, do you think it’s Nicky?”

_ No No No No No  _

Piper continued babbling, unaware of Lorna’s terror, “I really didn’t peg you for the gay type. You just seem so traditional! And people talk. People talk a  _ lot _ , they call you all sorts of names, and say you’re racist and all that, it’s  _ horrible! _ But I’m glad you found happiness! I mean, this is great!”

Lorna wasn’t listening. “You need to leave,” she stated bluntly to Piper. The words felt heavy falling off her tongue. “You need to leave so I can shower before breakfast.”

Piper looked somewhat disappointed for a moment, but then perked up again and walked out. Lorna barely noticed. She clumsily made her way out of the bunk, grabbed her shower bag and makeup, and tossed a towel over the ink on her bicep. 

_ Avoid Nicky. Avoid Nicky. Avoid Red. Avoid Gina. Avoid Norma. Avoid Boo. Avoid Tricia. Avoid Nicky. AVOID NICKY.  _

Lorna passed Norma, sitting with Sister Ingalls and praying. She passed Red’s bunk, empty. Gina had just left for the kitchen. Tricia was with Mercy somewhere, surely. Lorna could hear Boo snoring, so she wouldn’t be an issue. Maybe she’d actually be able to make it to the shower—

“Hey, kid,” she groaned as Lorna passed. 

_ Shit.  _ Of course. Of course. Of course she noticed Lorna passing. Of course she said something. Of course the  _ worst _ possible situation had become reality. Lorna triple-checked her towel and turned to face Nicky. 

_ Be polite and keep your right arm faced away from her as much as possible.  _

Lorna thought she looked normal, but facing at an awkward angle and worried eyes made her look somewhat crazy. Nicky’s eyes fell briefly on the oddly placed towel, and Lorna nearly screamed out of fear. 

“Oh, hey, hun!” Lorna squeaked, perhaps too eagerly, “I didn’t know you got out of the SHU!”

_ Lie. I saw her when I brought Chapman to the rooms. We didn’t speak.  _

“Bullshit. You brought that...uh…Chapman? To the rooms. Man, thank god I’m out of there. Darth Vader and Mr. Clean were driving me  _ insane _ ,” Nicky chuckled. “Slept worse than I ever did at my uncle’s house, and that’s saying something.” 

Lorna forced a laugh, and Nicky’s eyebrow raised. “You okay, kid?” 

“FINE! Fine! Yes, I’m fine of course I’m fine what makes you think I wouldn't be FINE?” Lorna smiled intensely and Nicky’s eyebrows plummeted and furrowed. 

_ Shit shit SHIT she knows something’s up. Leave now before the towel falls. _

“I’ll be going now!” Lorna said forcefully, clenching her hand on the towel and gripping it close to her shoulder. Nicky stuttered for a moment as Lorna walked away. 

“I’ll see you at breakfast!” Lorna cried when she reached the block door. Nicky didn’t reply. Perhaps Lorna simply didn’t hear her. 


	2. Winter Night (Flashback)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy winter night with Red's fam
> 
> FLASHBACK

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLASHBACK to a night that Red's family spent together in Tricia/Nicky's bunk. 
> 
> Basically just to give some background/explanation for the AU

It was a cold winter’s night in New York, and the entire prison was shivering. Someone hadn’t allocated funds to fix the heating, so all of the inmates were bundled in most of their clothes and the guards refused to leave the bubbles. 

Red’s family was gathered in Tricia and Nicky’s bunk. On one side, Red, Nicky, and Big Boo were sitting on Nicky’s bed. Mercy was cuddled against Tricia on the other bed, and they were both wrapped under a blanket made by Miss Claudette. Next to them, Yoga Jones, Demarco, Norma, and Gina were playing cards on the floor. Red was giddy at the sight of her family all together, spending time together and bonding over the cold. 

“Damn, this is a moment that calls for some hooch, amen?” Boo practically shouted. 

“Are you drunk already? Shut up. Half of us are already in AA and the rest of us are basically nuns,” Nicky cackled. 

Boo scoffed. “Speak for yourself,” she said, swiftly pulling a water bottle filled to the brim with hooch out of her waistband. 

The bunk exploded with noise. Demarco, Mercy, and Gina each lunged for the hooch at the same time, landing in a pile at the foot of the bed. Boo snatched up the bottle and jumped over the dog pile, dodging her way through the block back to her own bunk to devour the hooch in peace. The rest of the family roared with laughter, and Nicky and Red bent down to help the fallen back to their feet. 

“Alright, everyone settle down now. Before we all get shots,” Red cried, grinning. The card game resumed and Nicky pulled some candy out of her locker to pass out to everyone. 

Once the candy was distributed, Nicky plopped back down next to Red. The loss of Boo was somewhat needed, because Nicky had started to lose feeling in her arm after being pressed against the metal side of her bed. Nicky crossed her legs, leaned back against the wall of the bunk, and bit into a brand new Snickers bar. She had to admit: she was and would always be a junkie for candy. 

Turning back to the conversation, Nicky noticed that they’d begun discussing soulmate tattoos. Nicky didn’t believe in soulmates, despite clearly seeing the thick black “Dmitri” across Red’s shoulder, Tricia and Mercy’s complimenting tattoos (which Big Boo was particularly salty about), the messily scrawled “Jack” on Yoga Jones, and even a clean, blocky, perfectly straight-lined “Jesus” across Sister Ingalls’ shoulder. Sister’s was particularly interesting. She claimed that it had appeared the very moment she committed to being a nun. 

Nicky knew all about the tattoos, and didn’t deny that they  existed. She just didn’t think they were all that accurate. She didn’t really believe in the concept of soulmates, honestly. 

The tattoo was supposed to be the name of your soulmate, across your right shoulder. Only, it could only appear after the person fell in love with you. Countless girls had fallen in love with Nicky, and she with them. But there was never a name across either of their shoulders. After a while, Nicky had accepted that she just didn’t have a soulmate. But talking about the tattoos was still sad for her. 

“My young self was so upset,” Red sighed, “I so  desperately wanted Pavel’s name to appear, even after Dmitri’s was there. I was so disappointed. But I’ve found peace with it. He is my soulmate, after all, and I really do love him.”

Tricia chuckled, “I never expected to get one, bro, keep it 100. But then I met my Mercy…”

Mercy giggled and kissed Tricia while the rest of the bunk laughed and a chorus of “awww” rang through the group. Nicky just looked at the floor. 

“I do feel bad for the people who never get theirs. Or who don’t get the one they’re hoping for,” Yoga Jones started. 

Nicky kept looking at the ground, but annoyance was building up inside her. 

Yoga continued. “Like that little Morello girl. Her fiancé’s name still hasn’t appeared, poor thing…”

“Maybe he’s waiting till marriage,” DeMarco joked, and the group laughed. 

Nicky looked up from the ground. “Hey, uh, does anyone else feel warmer?” she asked. 

The others nodded and agreed, and then the bunk erupted in cheers. The heating had spontaneously come back to life. An announcement came over the PA system confirming the fact, and declaring that count would take place in 5 minutes before lights-out. 

The family stood, one by one, and left to prepare their own bunks for count. Norma hugged everyone before leaving, and DeMarco announced that she was heading to Boo’s for hooch. Trisha and Mercy agreed to follow her, leaving Red and Nicky together. 

Nicky stood to clean up the candy wrappers on the floor, expecting Red to leave too. DeMarco had eaten twice the candy of everyone else, and dropped all the wrappers on the ground. Nicky scoffed, but she couldn’t help but love DeMarco anyway. After all, they were family. 

Thinking of family made Nicky look up to see Red still sitting on the bed, watching her. “Mom, are you gonna go home or what?” Nicky asked Red. 

Red stared at Nicky. “How are you doing?” she asked simply. A fair question, but a loaded one when coming from Red. Nicky knew Red wasn’t asking her to talk about her day; she wanted a deep and full disclosure of Nicky’s mental state. 

Nicky, however, sarcastic as always, refused. “It’s prison, Red, you know as well as I do how things are.” She turned back to the floor and continued cleaning up. 

Out of the corner of her eye, Nicky saw Red wave her hand dismissively. “You know what I’m asking, honey.”

Nicky sighed. Better to comply now than risk a shot for both of them if Red stayed. “You saw me refuse that hooch.”

“Yes, and I was very proud of you, darling. But Boo should’ve known better than to offer it here.”

“She just wanted a good time. Besides, it didn’t bother me so much. I’m doing ok now, I promise.”

Red’s stare burned through the back of Nicky’s head, forcing her to abandon the wrappers and turn to face Red. “I swear, I want to be clean. As long as I want it, I’ll be fine.”

Red’s eyes locked on Nicky’s. “What happens when you don’t want to be clean anymore?” she said sharply. 

Nicky broke the stare down. She looked out the blackened window for a moment, then responded, “that won’t happen again.”

Red softened and stood. “For both our sakes, I hope so. I’ll never forgive myself if I let you fall back on that bathroom floor,” she said, reaching for Nicky. 

Nicky hugged Red, hanging on to her with determination. Nothing would ever pull them apart, Nicky swore to herself. She would never let herself lose her mom. 

“I love you,” Nicky whispered, “don’t ever blame yourself for what I do. You’re too good.”

Red moved back, leaving her hands on Nicky’s shoulders, and smiled. “I love you too. And I’m so proud of you. You’ve grown so much.” 

Nicky laughed as Red’s voice cracked ever so slightly. “Cmon now, don’t cry, not now. Go home, you gotta make us breakfast in the morning.” Nicky grinned as Red returned to her bunk. 

She really meant it. If she had a girlfriend, she’d have had everything she ever wanted. And since she planned on fucking a new girl the next morning, Nicky truly believed she had everything. 

  
  



End file.
